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My wife dragged me to an art museum with one of her friends. Her friend went up to one of the docents and asked "what can you tell me about this painting?"

As if she couldn't learn all she needed by just looking at it and evaluating it on her own. There's no need to look to an external source when 'evaluating' art. Trust your initial reactions. Something people have a hard time with because they think they're supposed to think or feel a certain way. Usually the way the 'experts' tell them to.

If someone's initial reaction to an explanation about art is one of enjoyment, should they dismiss it because an expert told them that is not the way to enjoy art? How about if someone regularly notices that they more deeply enjoy art, even art they already enjoy, once they know more about it? Should they then dismiss those feelings because an expert tells them they shouldn't experience art with any external insight beyond the art itself?

If someone's initial reaction to an explanation about art is one of enjoyment, should they dismiss it because an expert told them that is not the way to enjoy art?

Of course not. But why bother with that when the painting is hanging right in front of you.

Originally Posted By: Keith D Kerman

How about if someone regularly notices that they more deeply enjoy art, even art they already enjoy, once they know more about it? Should they then dismiss those feelings because an expert tells them they shouldn't experience art with any external insight beyond the art itself?

I can only tell you how I would approach it. For example, I mentioned liking the music of George Crumb. Never heard of him before. Never read about him. I listened to his music and liked it. Now, if I want to learn more, I can without bringing in an 'experts' bias telling me why I should or shouldn't like it.

One wonders whether Dale Hendersen isn’t giving classical music a bad name ... his scraping of the cello with his dismal Bach repetitions are an insult to the world of classical music ... the cello has been used to grand effect in so many masterpieces ... one thinks immediately of the works of Dvorak (or the familiar Swan in Saint-Saens Carnival of the Animals.)

Or is Dale just practising in company to get the feel the stage prior to an examination ?

I once tasted a cheese that I thought was terrible. An expert told me to try that cheese again with a specific wine. The combination was sublime.I hated sushi upon first trying it. I tried it again and still hated it. Because I was dating a girl that loved sushi, I kept trying it. About the 7th time I tried sushi, something shocking happened. It became deliceous. It is now one of my favorite foods.

... So it's not that weird that people haven't heard the Bach cello suite! In fact I haven't and I don't feel that bad with myself!

Nikolas, you can't be serious.. Are you??

Actually I am... I don't think I've heard the piece, unless it's also transcribed to a number of different instrumentations (which is the case to some Baroque or earlier works for semi-obvious reasons).

And, yes, I don't feel that bad that I don't know a single work pointed out...

Angelina: Bach vs little 'ol me? heh... I think I'd love any help I could get, but anyhow let's not get into this.

Let me rephrase myself, because I probably went a little too far: A nice gesture, that's for sure. I don't think any music genre is dying, and certainly not Bach's music. At the same time I think that the story is not news worthy, while it is extremely nice. That's all I think. The Joshua Bell, as I said, was aiming at the opposite idea (that nobody actually took notice), and as such it was interesting as an experiment. Not to mention that Joshua did it for a couple of days I think, or maybe a week, while this guys is doing it for a long time apparently!

I once tasted a cheese that I thought was terrible. An expert told me to try that cheese again with a specific wine. The combination was sublime.I hated sushi upon first trying it. I tried it again and still hated it. Because I was dating a girl that loved sushi, I kept trying it. About the 7th time I tried sushi, something shocking happened. It became deliceous. It is now one of my favorite foods.

I once tasted a cheese that I thought was terrible. An expert told me to try that cheese again with a specific wine. The combination was sublime.I hated sushi upon first trying it. I tried it again and still hated it. Because I was dating a girl that loved sushi, I kept trying it. About the 7th time I tried sushi, something shocking happened. It became deliceous. It is now one of my favorite foods.

Music and art can be that way.

That was a good analogy. I'm starting to bend.

Soon my analogy will have you spending time with music you hate while dining on brussel sprouts! Muahahaha!!

Andromaque
3000 Post Club Member
Registered: 08/29/08
Posts: 3886
Loc: New York

Actually my favorite recipe for brussel sprouts is to saute them (cut in half and face down) in garlic butter then simmer them in good white wine.. Very delectable..

Nikolas, there are 5 cello suites, each made out of six "movements".. May I recommend Eric Siblin's book about them and Isserlis' recording. They are not just any "piece". They are heavenly masterpieces that every music lover should know. You are right about the availability of transcritions for differnet instruments including the piano. But they were written originally for solo cello with the 6th written probably for a 5 string cello (Isserlis uses one in his recent disc. he produces magical sounds). Sorry if you already knew that..

Nikolas, there are 5 cello suites, each made out of six "movements".. May I recommend Eric Siblin's book about them and Isserlis' recording. They are not just any "piece". They are heavenly masterpieces that every music lover should know. You are right about the availability of transcritions for differnet instruments including the piano. But they were written originally for solo cello with the 6th written probably for a 5 string cello (Isserlis uses one in his recent disc. he produces magical sounds). Sorry if you already knew that..

Thanks...

Actually once I posted I thought that I probably know at least part of it. It's the best known piece probably for cello (again a huge generalization...). But I did research a tiny bit on youtube and there it was. Ok I know at least part of the suites. And I do think it's great music!

I don't get why people thinks that classical music is dying, there are more listeners of classical music then there ever was.

I don't know if that assertion is reliable. But anyway...

There are well over twice as many people crowding this planet than were alive when I was born. So there needs to be an equal increase of the number of people listening to classical music simply to keep up. There could be more listeners than ever while still being a smaller proportion of the population.

I think that classical music is, if not exactly dying, undergoing a pretty drastic change from the days when it played a much more vital role in the culture (of the Western countries, at least). I'm not going to try to come up with all the reasons/symptoms, but I think one of the most important is that although some people do listen, they only listen, instead of playing or singing the music themselves. My impression is that in the US a far lower percentage of people actually know how to read music than was true, say, 75 years ago.

I don't get why people thinks that classical music is dying, there are more listeners of classical music then there ever was.

I don't know if that assertion is reliable. But anyway...

There are well over twice as many people crowding this planet than were alive when I was born. So there needs to be an equal increase of the number of people listening to classical music simply to keep up. There could be more listeners than ever while still being a smaller proportion of the population.

I think that classical music is, if not exactly dying, undergoing a pretty drastic change from the days when it played a much more vital role in the culture (of the Western countries, at least). I'm not going to try to come up with all the reasons/symptoms, but I think one of the most important is that although some people do listen, they only listen, instead of playing or singing the music themselves. My impression is that in the US a far lower percentage of people actually know how to read music than was true, say, 75 years ago.

The only people who listened to classical music back in the days were the royalties of Europe, now, not only has classical music spread to the common man, it has also been spread ed to mush of Asia. Even if we compare the people who were alive to the people who listen to it, I highly doubt that the percentage would be lower.

Haha!...I agree with you completely sir! There is far too much psycho-babble going on with regards to this subject. There's plenty of great music that I simply do not enjoy. One day, perhaps my tastes will change, but for now I feel no shame in saying "nope, not for me".For years ALL I listened to was insane heavy metal music. I had next to NO interest in classical music or the piano. Now, it consumes me...go figure. It has nothing to do with "education" about the genius of Chopin & Mozart. My tastes changed and NOW I like it. Simple. Thank you for defending simplicity

PaintedPostDave
500 Post Club Member
Registered: 06/09/10
Posts: 616
Loc: Upstate New York

I think it's great. I am a jazz aficionado but I have purchased many classical cds after being exposed to something I had not heard before. If I hear him I might buy a y0-yo-ma cd, etc.

Rather than 59th street at Columbus Circle, I would like to see how he does at, say, the 1-9 stop at Sheridan Square. He would probably expose classical music to a lot more who previously had no exposure. At the 59th street stop he is likely "preaching to the choir". In any case, kudos!